Song Dissection: Pagsubok by APO Hiking Society

Song Dissections are all about looking at songs deeper, and attempting to understand why they mean so much to us. Today, we’re looking at a song originally written by Orient Pearl, but highly popularized by APO Hiking Society.

It’s actually very difficult to find any available sources online regarding the origins of this: there’s no mention of its release date, as well as the circumstances of its release or composition anywhere. However, in spite of that, we can more easily jump into the song. It starts off amidst confusion: “Isip mo’y litong lito Sa mga panahong nais mong maaliw, Bakit ba bumabalakid Ang iyong mundong ginagalawan?” but eventually comes to a realization that life, in all its ups and downs, is simply that way, and urges you to carry on despite hardship: “Ang buhay ay sadyang ganyan, Sulirani’y di mapigilan, Itanim mo lang sa ‘yong pusong Kaya mo yan.”

However, no matter how much we internalize this realization, we still often think that no one else is going through the same hardship, that it’s as if fate has dealt has a bad hand, and no one else. But the Orient Pearl wants to make you understand that that isn’t the case, and reminds you to take faith when things become truly grim: “Huwag mong isiping ikaw lamang Ang may madilim na kapalaran; Ika’y hindi tatalikuran Ng ating Ama na Siyang lumikha.”

The chorus of the song will always be the most iconic and inspiring of all: “Pagkabigo’t alinlangang, Gumugulo sa isipan, Mga pagsubok lamang ‘yan. Huwag mong itigil ang laban, Huwag mong isuko….at ‘yong labanan.” It’s a strong yet necessary reminder that life test us all: through hardship, failure, heartbreak, and so many things we would rather not experience. But, almost paradoxically, the things we don’t want to experience are precisely the things we must, in that it forces us to grow, and hopefully, become better individuals.

“Pagsubok” was recently covered by our very own Volts Vallejo during the recent One Music LIVE: Awit Para Sa Marawi. It truly encapsulated the strength, solidarity, and compassion we strived to inspire in others, and it was one of the many reasons Awit Para Sa Marawi was so successful!

Despite APO Hiking Society often being credited for writing the song, it was actually originally composed by Orient Pearl as part of their May 1995 release. Listen to their original track on Spotify below:

You can listen to more of APO’s hits on their Spotify page below:

What’s your favorite APO Hiking Society Song? Share it down in the comments below, or tweet them to me via @rafael_reynante!

Raf rarely gets bored. However, when he does get bored, he works out his mind by dissecting the hidden and subtle meanings of songs. He enjoys philosophizing on pop songs, traveling the Metro in his hatchback, exercising constantly, and collecting leather bags.